Sunday, June 28, 2009

Hello there my lovely blog readers. I am sorry I haven't been around much lately but I have been enjoying a wonderful vacation in San Diego visiting my family. I went for a great 20 mile bike ride yesterday with my dad in the beautiful Coronado. After the ride (and relaxing a little bit) I decided to try out a new recipe that I found on www.Shape.com. I love their magazine and I didn't realize they had so many amazing recipes online!

Well after Alexis and I did some major grocery shopping I made these amazing wraps and they hit the spot! They weren't too heavy but filled us up. There was a lot of ingredients that went into it but they all added a different element that was very needed! I would highly suggest these tasty wraps!

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Yes I know this is a goofy picture but this is exactly how I felt after eating a fresh apple! My 3 day Cleanse is over and I survived. I not only survived but thrived!

A little recap for you:

The first day I felt AMAZING! I didn't drink a sip of coffee but I had a lot of energy and my friends even noticed my improved attitude. I must admit the first sip of that green juice scared me but after I got through the whole bottle I knew I would make it all three days. There were a lot of trips to the bathroom (TMI I know but what do you expect when all you do is drink water and juice?) which was made me feel lighter toward the end of the day. Also, the last juice, a cashew and cinnamon concoction was SO good! I was ready to take on the rest of the journey.

Day two - This was a lot harder I have to admit. I was working at my lovely internship where my boss, Sarah, and I were both doing the cleanse, which was good and bad. When we heard about someone eating Mexican food for lunch we were both very jealous but reminded each other that we are doing this cleanse to rid all of the Mexican food we had! Come night time I was ready to reach through the TV screen and eat the pizza on all those darn commercials....but I drank some tea and water and got through it!

Day three- This was MUCH easier! I was full of energy and feeling lighter and happier. I went grocery shopping and got lots of fruit from Trader Joe's and Whole Foods to prepare for today! The juices went down easier and I actually craved that last green juice! I might have bitched and moaned while doing it but on day three I knew it was going to be worth it.

Now that the cleanse is over I feel lighter (by 5 pounds) and healthier. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who has been overindulging or just wants to get rid of that extra bloat for the beach. I now have no desire for salty foods and crave the clean taste of water and fresh fruit and veggies (although I think I have always craved the taste of fresh fruits I had lost it for a little while getting overwhelmed with stress).

This was worth all the hype and I can't wait to cleanse again...I think I am addicted :)

Monday, June 15, 2009

Today is my first day of Blue Print Cleanse and after trying the first green juice I am a little nervous! This cleanse consists of 3 days of only drinking 6 freshly made juices. It sounds a lot harder than I think it actually will be.

A little about the Cleanse straight from their website "This Cleanse will gently rid your body of impurities, regain an alkaline balance and normalize digestion and metabolism. Too often, a cleanse stirs up detox symptoms that are far too intense for the “average” person. BPC is designed for people that would like to give their insides a rest while simultaneously going on about their daily lives. One needn’t gamble with extremes to feel the benefits of a Cleanse."

I have not been eating very healthy or going to the gym as much as I need to so I am hoping this will help me get back on track. After finishing the first green juice (that has lots of good for you stuff like celery, kale, romaine, and green apple) and brushing my teeth I am feeling very good.

I don't have any recipes for you today because I don't want to think about all that yummy food I can't have BUT I will be keeping you updated on my cleanse so wish me luck :)

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

I have been eating horribly lately, which is why I haven't been updating as much as I should. I have been on the hunt for a new roommate/apartment as well as a new job so life has been stressful and it has caused me to not cook as much and basically eat anything that is in front of me. But I am trying to get back on track!

My amazing internship at J Public Relations has been a great way for me to take my mind off of all the stresses and learn a lot. One of their clients is a great juice cleanse company called BluePrintCleanse that I am SO excited to start on Monday. I am planning on documenting everything for my lovely loyal readers and let you know all of the good and bad of doing the BPC cleanse!

Now...on to my latest cooking adventure! This recipe from Shape Magazine will make you never want to order pizza in! I needed to find something that would be easy and very tasty. I didn't want to have junk-food withdrawals and this pizza not only tasted amazing but left me feeling great after eating. I hope I can stay on track and get my life in order! I know that my cleanse on Monday will truly help me get everything together.

Place a pizza stone on middle oven rack, turn oven to 500°F, and let stone heat for 20 minutes. (Alternately, use a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal; preheat oven but not sheet to 500°F). If using a stone, liberally sprinkle a wooden peel or baking sheet with cornmeal.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add fennel and sauté 5 minutes; reduce heat to low. Squeeze spinach to remove excess water and stir into fennel. Season with salt and pepper.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Hi there...I am sorry I have been away for so long! Life got a little stressful, but now hopefully I am back for good!

Today I just found out about a great new website called Veggie Trader that is such a fun concept an online marketplace that works like a mash-up of eBay, Craigslist and your local farmers' market. This newly minted site lets you buy, sell and trade homegrown produce with other backyard farmers in your area. Have a ton of tomatoes but no lemons or wax beans? The registration is free so why are you waiting?

I am going to start trying to branch out into other area's of food on my blog so it is a little more interesting than simply recipes. It might take me a little while to find my footing so bare with me :)

Now on to what I know how to do best....give you yummy recipes! And these brownies won't disappoint!

Combine brownie mix, pumpkin, and chocolate syrup in a large bowl, and stir until completely mixed and smooth. (Batter will be thick!) Spray a mid-sized baking pan (8" X 8" works best) with nonstick spray and pour in the mixture. Smooth the top of the batter with a spatula.

Bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Remove pan from the oven, and evenly distribute mini marshmallows across the top of the batter. Sprinkle almonds over the marshmallows. Using a spatula, press down on the marshmallow-nut layer to help it adhere to the batter.

Return pan to the oven, and bake for 10 additional minutes. Remove pan from the oven, and let cool slightly. Refrigerate, uncovered, for several hours, until completely chilled. (Important! Do not cover pan while initially chilling it in the fridge.) Cut into 36 squares and serve!

About Me

I am Boston University alum who majored in public relations. I have an interest in finding new and creative recipes that are low in calories as well as tasty, which is why I created this blog so I could share all of my favorite recipes I have found with everyone else. I currently live and work in New York and am always looking for fellow foodies :)